Sweeper



March 5, 1935. N. w. CUMMINS 1,993,296

SWEEPER Filed Dec: 1, 1953 Patented Mar. 5, 1935 UNITED STATES.

TEN orries 1 i .SWEEPER Norman W. Cummins,"Louisv ille, Ky, Q Q Application December 1, 1933, Serial No 700,428

10 Claims. (01; 15- n) 7 I This invention pertains to the structure of a running gear for use on portable. carpet sweepv ers equipped with a rotary brush actuated by traction wheels.

In the general class of carpet sweepers in which this invention. belongs, it has been standard' practice to mount the supporting wheels on the ends of long shafts which extend through the dust arresting chamberv JThese' shafts pro.- ject beyond the end walls to provide axles on which to mount the wheels. .It has been found desirable in such structures to enclose these shafts in ducts oricasingsto prevent the ingress of dust from the apertures in the end walls through which these shafts pass, also to protect these shafts from collecting dust, threads, et

cetera. To prevent these. shafts from rotating and throwing dirt on to they brush, which is.

fouled thereby, has been a problem not entirely mastered and a recognized source of annoyance,

as well as a structural and operating problem. These shafts, also the enclosingducts, have been found to be further objectionable as they interfered with free discharge, or dumping when an excessive accumulation of matter has been lodged in the dust chamber. r i

The principal object of this invention is -to provide a carpet sweeper construction of a new order, wherein all of the above objections are entirely overcome, in the consummation of which a highly improved wheel action has been developed. r

A further object is'to construct the wheel supporting mechanism, the dust pan pivots and the dust pans on the two unitary duplicate plates, to insure maintaining the planned relation of the major constituent parts of the machine. a 7

A still further object is to protect the mechanism from external damage through the medium of a readily detachable hood'or cover. r

Other objects of the invention will be developed so as to be clearly understood by-refer ence to the following specification and accom-'- panyingdrawing in which is illustrated a preferred embodiment of those portions of the carpet sweeper required to disclose the inventionp v a dust pan as shown. -Theapex of the spring is Drawing Figure 1 is a major portion of anend'view ofa carpet-sweeper housing Jwiththe principal part of the mechanism cover removed'to disclose the details of the mechanism. The wheels and'rotating brush have been omitted for the sake of clearness.

throughout the life Fig. ,2,is a view of Fig. 1 as seen, from the bot tom with some. sections and parts removed.

Fig. 3 shows a portion ofa Wheel in cross section as mounted on its axle, and thefsupporting members which are shown inucrosssection', 5 on an enlarged scale, the other adjacent parts. not being indicated. a j 7 Fig. 4 is a. front view. of Fig. 3, with the wheel omitted; r f f Fig; 5 isfa detail of a portion'of one ,ofthe dust pans. I I

'- Structure 5 Numeral 10 indicates an end wall of the sweeper housingwhich is usually constructed of wood. 11 'is the end plate referred to hereinafter as the chassis plate and which is mounted on" 10 by screws 12. On this plate are mounteda number of parts as a sub-assembly which is used dle, this assembly being suchas to permit free 25 7 vertical or horizontal movement. This axle assembly is given a normal position by the action of spring 1'7,'which is permanently attached to I the chassis plate 11 by spring clip 18.

It mustbe understood that both the right and left hand axle assemblies shown in Fig. 1 are tobe regarded as the same. The right hand axle asse'mblyis shown in full lines in its normal position, and the dotted line position that which it 7 will assume when the sweeper is in operation and pressure is being applied by the operating handle which is not shown in the drawing. The part of the axle assembly shown in this figure at the left hand side discloses the opening 11a in the chassis plate to permit this travel. 7 4O Dust pans '20 are mounted on pivots 21 which are attached to the chassis plate. This assembly is effected incident to mounting the chas- 1 sisll on to end walls 10 and results in the pans being suspended between these plates.- {Each dust pan is kept in closed position by; spring 22,. each end of which contacts with the end of shaft 24'isfixedlever 25, to the lower end 7 Y of sameis pivoted arm '26 by pivot 27; This arm extends through notch 28, of mechanism cover 29 which functions as a guide or bearing for same. It will be perceived that by a squeezing action applied by a finger lodged against the edge 29a of the cover and a thumb lodged on the exposed end 26a of arm 26the linkage consisting of arms 26, 'and 23 will cause spring 22 to be raised which in turn will pull on dust pans and result in simultaneously opening them for disposing of dust collected therein. Releasing of this pressure permits spring 22 to return the parts to normal, as shown in the drawing.

It will thus be perceived that the chassis assembly is not only of pronounced utility in maintaining the several parts in definite relation, but that it admits of a sub-assembly of thesev'ery' important parts which is not only of-Zgreat ad.

, vantage to the manufacturerbut to.the.user,.

I should replacement ever be desired";

Attention is also directed to the feature whereiin the cover 29 protects the enclosed parts against mechanical damage and other elements, such as sunlight which is known to definitely age:

the rubber-tires on the 1 wheels. Byremoving screws 30 the entire cover29 can be disassembled from the sweeper and permit access for lubrication or. repairs.

Scope 3 The drawing selected 'todisclose this invention and the specification thereof are in terms of my improvements as incorporatedinto' asweeperhaving a wood housing; In the application of this invention to a unitary drawn metal housing,

the separate chassis; plates can be eliminated by mounting the axles and their'plates 14,15 together with the special spring clip 18 and the dust pan pivots directly in the ends of.the housing with the dump lever bearing and mechanism on one end, substantially in accordance with the teachings herein Hence, some of the-claims are; directed to structure that will embrace either. type of a sweeper carrying these improvements" plate, a resilient member an'chored to said chassis plate and having a pair of arms pivotally engage ing an extension of guide members rigidly ,secured to said axles for resiliently urging said axles downwardly and toward each other and,tofur-- the-r prevent rotation o f.said-floating axles.-

2. In a carpet sweeper, the combination ,of a

chassis plate, an, aperture in said chassis plate, a fioating stub axle mounted for movement as limited bysaid aperture, guide plates rigidly se cured to said axle and slidably engaging the opposite faces of said chassis plate talimi-t the movement of said axle to a vertical-plane.

3. In a carpet sweeper, the combination of a chassis plate, an aperturein said-chassis plate, a floating stub axle mounted for movement as limitedby said aperture, guide plates rigidly secured to said axle and slidably engaging the opposite faces ofsaid chassis plate to limit' the movement of .said axle to a vertical plane, and. 7 an extension on one of said guide members pivotally attached to the free ,end ofa spring anchored to said chassis. plate soas' to..prevent rotation of the axle while permitting latral and 1' horizontal movement against the pressure of said spring.

4. In a carpet sweeper, the combination of a chassis plate, an axle mounted in said chassis plate, a wheel rotatably mounted on said axle, a guide plate rigidly secured to said axle, and a resilient member anchored to said chassis plate and pivotally engaging said guide plate so as to prevent rotation of the axle in said chassis plate.

5'. The combination with an article of the class described includingaa chassis plate, a floating axle carried by said chassis plate and a wheel rotatably mounted on said axle, and means for preventing rotation of said axle comprising a member rigidly secured to said axle having an extensionapivotally engaged by theiree end of a spring anchored ,to said chassis plate.

6. Ina carpet sweeper, the combination of a chassis plate, a floating axle mounted in said chassis plate, a wheel rotatably mounted on said axle, a guide plate secured to said. axle' and pivotally engaged by the free: end of .a spring anchored. to said chassis plate so as to prevent .ro-

tation of the axle. while permitting: movement.

thereof against the pressureioi said spring.

7.. In a carpet sweeper, the combination of a chassis plate, a. floating axle mounted in said chassis plate, a wheel rotatably mounted on said axle, a spring. anchored to said chassis plate extendingxcrosswise'of said axleandpivotally attached to an. extension of a guide member secured to= SaidF'axle so as to yieldinglyurge said axle to move laterally and horizontally and prevent rotation of said axle whil-epermitting lateral. and horizontal movement against the pressure of said spring. 7 r I 8. In a carpet sweeper, the combination of a chassis plate, a floating, axle mounted in'said chassis plate, a wheel rotatably mounted on said axle, aspring anchored to said chassis ,plate ex-:

tending crosswise of said axle and pivotally attached to a guide member rigidly secured: to said axle so as to yieldingly urge the said axle to move downwardly and prevent rotation of said axle while permitting lateral movement against the.

pressure of said spring.

V 9. A carpet sweeper comprising a case, a horizontal rotatable brush in the case, an axle at one side and parallel to the axis of-the brush, means to support the axle and maintain it'in" saidv parallel relationwhile allowing it to move vertically and horizontally toward and away,

from the brush, a wheel. mounted on said axle and frictionally driving the brush, an arm rigidly secured to the axle, a rod spring secured to the sweeper case and a pivot securing said spring to said arm, said pivot being so placed that. a line through the pivot and the axle passes under, the

. brush.

10. A carpet'sweep'er comprising a case, a horizontal rotatable brush in the case, an axleponeach side and parallel to the 'axis of the-brush,

means to support the axles and maintain them in said parallel relation while allowing'each to independently move vertically and horizontallytowardand away from? the brush, a wheel mounted on each axle and frictionally driving arm,: said pivots being. so placed that a line through each pivot and each axle will cross under the brush,

, NORMAN W. CUMMINS.v 

